Environmental Engineering Educational Mission and Goals

Educational Mission of the Environmental Engineering Program

The educational mission of the Environmental Engineering undergraduate program is to prepare students to begin a research or professional practice career path in Environmental Engineering or related discipline by a three-pronged approach: (1) Fundamentals. Provide a strong educational foundation of engineering fundamentals (mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering sciences), (2) Environmental Topics. Introduce students to land, air, and water resources; physical, chemical, and biological entities and processes important to these resources; and the legal, social, ecological, and economic frameworks within which these resources must be managed, (3) Analysis and Design. Develop analysis and design skill for land, air, and water resources that build upon Fundamentals and Environmental Topics.

Undergraduate Major in Environmental Engineering

Program Educational Objectives: Graduates of the program will (1) be knowledgeable of the historical context, the state-of-the-art, and emerging issues in the field of environmental engineering and its role in contemporary society; (2) demonstrate critical reasoning and requisite quantitative skills to identify, formulate, and resolve environmental engineering problems, and to create designs that reflect legal, social, ecological, and economic sensitivities; (3) display a systems viewpoint, critical thinking, effective communication and interpersonal skills, a spirit of curiosity, and conduct reflecting a professional and ethical manner; (4) exhibit a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development in industry, government, and/or academia; (5) recognize the multidisciplinary nature of environmental engineering and the limitations of disciplinary perspectives in the context of environmental analysis, design, engineering, policy, and management. (Program educational objectives are those aspects of engineering that help shape the curriculum; achievement of these objectives is a shared responsibility between the student and UCI.)

Program Outcomes for undergraduate students in Environmental Engineering:

  1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics through differential equations, probability and statistics, calculus-based physics, general chemistry, an earth science and biological science relevant to environmental engineering, and fluid mechanics in the context of environmental engineering.
  2. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data in more than one environmental engineering focus area such as: air, water, land or environmental health.
  3. An ability to design an environmental engineering system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, social, ethical, political, constructability, and sustainability.
  4. An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
  5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems in more than one environmental engineering focus area such as: air, water, land or environmental health.
  6. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities of environmental engineers in relation to public and private institutions and in the context of environmental systems (e.g., drinking water distribution, waste management, etc).
  7. An ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
  8. A broad education necessary for understanding the societal and economic impacts of engineering solutions to environmental problems at both regional and global scales.
  9. Recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning.
  10. Knowledge of contemporary issues.
  11. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice, an understanding of the importance of licensure for professional practice, and an introduction to administrative business (planning, contracting, etc.) of professional practice.